Automatic chuck



y 1929- L. E. WHITON 1,713, 00

' AUTOMATIC cnucx Filed April 10. 19,26 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR s E. bit on,

y 1929. L. E. WHITON 1,713,800

AUTOMATIC CHUCK Filed April 10, 1926 2 Shets-Sheet 2 llllay 21, 19229.

ZEIJ'CIEJS Jfli-II'ION, 6F NEN LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

Annemarie encore Application filed April 10, 1826.

My invention relates prurticularly to what are termed lathe chucks.

The main object is to provide a powerful, compact, tllll reliable constructitm which can be adjusted to grin or release the stock while the chuck is rotating.

Under modern oevelopments of high speed machines and tools, the problem of chuck design has come to be very dirlicult not only because of the high speed operations required but because of the limitations of space within which the chuck mechanism must be confined. It has, therefore, become increasingly important to provide the greatest possible power factor within the very limited space available for chuck construction.

In applications heretofore filed by me #61,- 173 filed Oct. 8, 1925, and #77,933 filed Dec. 28, 1925, I have disclosed constructions marking forward steps in this art in which means is provided for adjusting the chuck: jaws while the chuck is in motion and in which the power applied is distributed over a relatively large number of tooth engagements with reduction of pressure per tooth or of added power to withstand the wear resulting from such increased pressures.

In the present case I have incorporated 'differential mechanism between the vari ator and the jaw adjusting member whereby the relative movement is very greatly reduced, or, which is substantially the same thing, the power factor incorporated within the chuck mechanism is very greatly increased. This has been accomplished in the form which will be hereinafter described by employing a relatively movable abutment in conjunction with a variator and driving both of these members but at different speeds.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a chuck embodying one form of the improvements of my present invention, part of the chuck being broken away and showing the.

differential driving mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a rear View and vertical section of the same, parts being broken away to show the various elements.

The chuck body 5 has a hub 6 and a rim 7. The chuck adapted to be secured in any suitable manner to the spindle 8 which may be hollow to permit the passage of the stock to be operated. upon or the operation of cutting tools. Any number and type of jaws such 9 may be used and they may be adjustable back and forth across the face of the chuck Serial No. 101,043.

body, as is customary in tools of this character. In the form shown, I have provided a scroll or cam plate 10 which is rotatable with in the chuck body and provided with a scroll thread of the usual character engaging the jaws or jaw bases so that as the scroll plate is rotated with respect to the chuck body, the jaws are moved in or out as the case may be. This particular construction, as will hereinafter be understood, makes it possible to utilize an extra heavy thread on the scroll plate, thus increasing the strength and dura hility of the device.

In the rear of the scroll plate or jaw adjusting member I mount a sleeve 11 which is rotatable on the hub (3 and is provided with gear teeth 12 on the end adjacent plate 10. On this sleeve 11 is mounted another sleeve 13 which is rotatable with respect to the sleeve 11 and provided with gear teeth 14 corresponding to the teeth 12 on the sleeve 11. Opposite the gear 12 I mount an annular gear ring 15 which is adapted to travel inside of the flange 7 of the chuck body. This gear ring 15 is connected in some suitable manner to the plate 10, preferably and simply by means of clutch teeth which fit into corresponding grooves 16 in the rear face of plate 10 so that the plate and gear ring rotate together but can be readily separated. Between the gears 12 and 15 I mount a series of pinions 17 which are adapted to travel around against the rear face of the plate 10. An annular gear ring 18, having teeth corresponding to the teeth on the gear ring 15, is secured to the flange 7 of the chuck body in a suitable manner, as, for instance, by means of screws 19. Between the gears 14 and 18 I mount a series of pinions 20 corresponding to the pinions 17. in pairs and each pair mounted on a short stud or shaft 21 so that the pinions of the pair rotate independently with respect to the axis of the pair, but so that the two pinions of each pair are compelled to travel bodily together in the space between the inner gears 12 and 1dand the larger gears 15 and 18.

After the parts thus far described have been assembled, the two gear wheels 22 and 23 are successively applied and keyed to the sleeves 13 and 11, respectively, and the ring 24 secured to the rear of the chuck body by means of a series of screws 25. This completes what may be termed the chuck proper, which is but little larger than an ordinary chuck and These pinions 1'? and 20 are arranged yet is capable ofautomatic adjustment while in motion.

The counter-shaft or spindle 26 is mounted in a suitable bearing in some stationary part of the machine, as, for instance, a bracket 27 adapted to be secured to the head stock of the lathe. This shaft 26 carries two pinions 28 and 29 which mesh, respectively, with the teeth of the gear wheels 22 and 23. These gear wheels 22 and 23 and the pinions 28 and 29 are so designed-as to provide for a differential action when the shaft 26 is rotated. For instance, the gear member 22 which corresponds to the fixed or abutment, member in some of my former applications, may have 93 teeth to be actuated by pinion 28 having 11 teeth. Thevariator 23 or operating member may have 92 teeth and be driven in turn by a pinion 29 having 12 teeth. The result is that when the shaft 26 is driven, not only is the variat' r 23 driven at a lower speed than the shaft 26 but the disc or plate gear ember '22 is driven at a speed which is only slightly less than that of the variator 23. The shaft 26 may be turned by means of a keyed or socket wrench on thefi-ont end or it may be rotated by means of a gear or 30at the rear.

Normally, of course, the shaft 26 and the.

pairsof planetary pinions 17-20 which are r v V i p 1 guided between the rear or the scroll piatelO and the front of theabutment plate 22. When the shaft 26 is rotated, the differential gear train above described produces relative rotative movement of the sleeve 11 and its gear 12 with respect to the sleeve 13 and its gear 14. This causes rotation of each pinion 17 with respect to the corresponding pinion 20 and thus drives the gear ring 15 and the jawfadjusting plate 10 with respect to the gear l8 and the chuck body. This arrangement results in a power factor more than ten times greater than the power factor which would be available were the abutment 22 actu- V ally stationary or fixed, as set forth in some ofmy sai dappllcations.

to other chucks beside theparticular one herein shown. It will also be understood that the direction ofrotationof the member 10 is determined by the relative speed of rotation of the members '22 and 23, which is readilycontrollable in the design. This new'arrangement affords an extr'em possibility of design to suit various require- 'ments and at tlie's'aine time permits the use of power driven member v V This change ,of construction also elim nates the necessity. of

respectively and having interior teeth, pairs of planetary gears, each pair being on a common shaft and adapted to travel'between said spur gears and said annular gears and means for rotating both of said plates and their spur gears but at differential speeds.

2. The (ZOHlblllzltlOlIOf two concentrically i'i'iouni'ed relatively rotatable members, one

a of said members having a hub and a flange,

annular gears secured to the outer edges of said members, a sleeve mounted on said hub and having a gear within one of said annular gears, a uecond gear mounted 'on said sleeve within the other annular gear, a pair of pinions having a common shaft and interposed between said outer and inner gears, a plate connected to one of said inner gears and holding said pinions in place and meansfor rotating said inner gears at different speeds.

8. A chuck comprising two concentrically mounted relatively rotatable members, two

annular gears having interior teeth, one of said. gears having clutch toothed coupling with one of said memborsand screws for sccuring the other gear to the other member,

.two spurgearsarranged inside of said annu lar gears, pairs of connected pinions, meshing I XVltll SZtltl outer and inner gears, the pinions:

of each pair being supported inde 'ien'dently of the'other pairs and means for rotating both of said inner gears independently of the relatively, rotatable members. I

mounted, relatively rotatable members, one of said memers having a hub, an annular gear connected with one of said members, asecond annular gear fastened to the other member andoverlapping the first graiya gear.

thin one of said annular goals, a second I -.r mounted within the otherannular gear, a pair of pinions having a common shaft and interposed between said outer and inner gears, plate connected to one of said inner gears and forming bearing surface forsaid" pinioiis and for one of said annular gears, and means'for rotating said inner gears.

.5. A construction of the character described comprisingtwo concentrically mounted relatively rotatable members, two 2111- nular gears rotatable with said members and arranged with interior teeth side by side incontact with each other, two spur gears arranged in contact with each other inside of said annular gears, pairs of connected pinionsjmeshing with said outer and inner gears,

The combination of two concentrically tviasoo the pinions of each pair being supported on a shaft in contact with each other and each pair being supported independently of the other pairs and means for rotating said spur gears atdi'l'lerent speeds and independently of the relatively rotatable members 6. In achuck a body, a jaw operating plate mounted therein, a sleeve mountedconcoutrt cally with said body and having gear teeth arranged adjacent said plate, an annular gear connected to the periphery of said plate, a pinion mounted to travel between said gears, a gear ring mounted on said sleeve, adjacent the teeth or said sleeve, an annular gear connected to the periphery of said chuck body along- 'side of the first mentioned annular gear, a

pinion interposed between said gear ring and the second mentioned annular gear, a shaft connecting said pinions, a rotatable plate connected to said gear ring and forming a backing for one of said pinions and one of said annular gears, and a second rotatable plate connected to said sleeve alongside of said first rotatable plate and means for driving said two rotatable plates simultaneously but ditterentially.

7. In a chuck a body, a jaw operating plate mounted therein, a gear ring mounted concentrically with said body and having gear teeth arranged adjacent said plate, an annular gear connected to the periphery of said plate, a pinion mounted to travel between said gears, a gear ring mounted adjacent the teeth of said gear ring, an annular gear connected to the periphery of said chuck body alongside of the first mentioned annular gear, a pinion interposed between said second gear ring and the second mentioned annular gear, a shaft connecting said pinions, a rotatable gear plate connected. to said gear ring and forming a backing for one of said pinions and one of said annular gears, a rotatable gear plate secured to said sleeve alongside of said first gear plate, a bracket, a shaft carried by said bracket, and pinions carried by said shaft for rotating the rotatable gear plates diiterentially.

8. In a chuck a body, a jaw operating scroll plate coacting therewith, spur gears mounted concentrically with said chuck body, said gears being rotatable, annular gears secured respectively to said chuck body and said jaw operating plate and having interior teeth, planetary pinions mounted to travel between said annular gears and said spur gears, two rotatable gears secured to rotate with said rotatable spur gears, and a shaft geared differently to said rotatable gears.

9. A chuck body having a hub, a scroll plate mounted to rotate within saidltiody on said hub, jaws connected to said plate, an annular gear having interior teeth secured to said scroll plate, a sleeve gear rotatable on said hub, a series of pinions interposed be tween said gears, an annular gear connected to said body, a second sleeve gear, a rotatable plate secured to said latter gear, a series oi pinions interposed between said two lastmentioned gears, shafts connecting the pinions of the two series guided between said rotatable plate and said cam plate, and means for rotating said sleeve gears;

10. A chuck comprising a body, a scroll plate therein, two rotatable plates, outer and inner gears secured 'to said scroll plate and one otsaid rotatable plates respectively, companion gear mounted along side oft each otsaid outer and inner gears and connected to said body and the other rotatable plate respectively, pairs of pinions connecting said gears, each pair being mounted on a shaft and guided solely between adjacent surfaces of said scroll plate and; one of said rotatable plates and means for rotating both of said rotatable plates but at difi'erent speeds.

11. An automatic chuck comprising a body, a scroll member mounted to rotate therein, jaws connected to said member, an annular gear having a clutch connection with said scroll member, a spur gear rotatable in said body, a sleeve connected thereto, a series of pinions interposed between said gears, a second annular gear overlapping and holding the first annular gear, screws connecting said second annular gear to said body, a gear rotatable on said sleeve, a rotatable plate secured to said latter gear, a series of pinions interposed between said two last-mentioned gears, shafts connecting the pinions of the two series guided between said rotatable plate and said cam member, and means for rotating said plate.

12, In a chuck the combination of two concentrically mounted relatively rotatable members, one of said members having a hub, annular gears secured to said members side by side, a sleeve mounted on said hub and having a gear within one of said annular gears, a second gear mounted on said sleeve within the other annular gear, a pair of pinionshaving a common shaft and interposed between said outer and inner gears, gear wheels for rotating said inner gears, a countershatt and pinions on said shaft meshing with said gear wheels and having dilferential ratios.

13. A chuck having the combination of two concentrically mounted relatively rotatable members, one of said members having a hub, annular gears secured to said members side by side, a sleeve mounted on said hub and having a gear within one of said annular gears, a second gear mounted on said sleeve within the other annular gear, a pair of pinions having a common shaft and interposed between said outer and inner gears, a gear plate for rotating one of said inner gears, a gear plate forrotating the other inner gear, and pinions for rotating said gear plates.

14. A chuck comprising a rotatable'body p107 pini ons mounted onacommon shaft and having (radially movable aws, a jaw actuating plate Within the body, :an-abutment plate mounted spaced apart from -saidlactuati ng plate, inner and outer spur gears mounted side by side between said plates,fitl1e outer ofsa-id gears being connected to said abutment plate, means ior :rotatmgsaid abutment plate, means for rotating the inner gear, an-

nular gears connected to said chuck .body and said actuating plateand .apair of planetary travelling between. the annular and spur gears and guided between the actuating plate and the abutment plate.

15'. A chuck comprising a body having ;a

hub and a flange and provided With guide- Ways in its outer face and a recess between thehu'b and flange, jaws adjustable in said spur gears simultaneously :but at different .7

speeds.

LUOIUS E. WHJTON. 

